Hugh's not too experienced with confessing things like this. He understands the concept of there being "normal" people and "peculiar" ones, but he hasn't had much experience living among the former. Peculiars in England stick together in small groups. Even while homeless, he'd found food and shelter under their roofs from time to time, and the small gangs of children he'd hung out with had all had gifts of their own.

So this is.. new. The whole explaining to someone "normal" thing, and he's probably not doing a great job with it -- after all, bees crawling out of someone's mouth is pretty much the stuff of horror, but it's just so normative for Hugh that he has to work to think of it any other way. Cricket's questions help him along, at least, as he realises this is something he should reassure the older boy about.

"Oh no, they don't hurt me. They're my friends!" There's a bright grin. Now that it seems Cricket isn't going to freak out, the strange child seems pretty nonchalant, chatting comfortably.

"Most of them will leave my stomach, but I don't really eat a lot anyway. Mostly just honey and things, so they like it too." An odd child indeed... Clearly his biological makeup is different from the typical in more than one way.

He probably should be more careful about spilling details, but Hugh's a personable child, friendly, open. He blinks at Cricket, vexing him with curiosity. The fact he's accepting this relatively well (on the outside at least) makes him wonder something, and he tilts his head then. "Do you know about Peculiars, or am I the first one you've met?"

Of course, it could be that some Normals are simply more accepting than others. But that's not something he has much knowledge in.